Five Different Court Locations For NYC Bankruptcy Filers
When you file for bankruptcy in the New York City area, your case will be located in one of five different courthouses depending on where you live. There are four federal court districts in the State of New York, and parts of New York City are in two of them.
For Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island Residents…
If you live in Queens, Brooklyn, or Staten Island, your case will be heard at the bankruptcy courthouse at 271-C Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn. This building is the old, main post office for Brooklyn, and is located across a plaza to the north of the Brooklyn Borough Hall. If you live in Nassau or Suffolk County, you have to trek out to Central Islip to appear at the Alfonse M. D’Amato Courthouse at exit 43A off the Southern State Parkway.
For Manhattan and Bronx Residents…
If you live in Manhattan or the Bronx you are in the Southern District of New York, and your case would be located at the Courthouse at the southern tip of Manhattan in the Bankruptcy Court at One Bowling Green, New York, New York. This building is known as the Old Customs House, and also houses the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of the American Indian. In the case of this one courthouse, though, your initial hearing will be held in another building at 80 Broad Street, New York, New York, which is a block to the east. For all the other courts, the initial hearing is in the actual courthouse.
What About Westchester and Rockland Counties?
If you live in Westchester or Rockland Counties, your case will be heard at the White Plains courthouse at 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains, New YorkIf you live in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, or Ulster Counties, there is a third courthouse in Poughkeepsie at 355 Main Street where your case will be heard.
For all of the courthouses, you have to go through metal detectors and your cell phones will be kept in lockers at the entrance, so it may be easier to leave them at home. At some locations you may have to show photo identification to get in.
A notice giving the location of your hearing will be sent to you by the court. In all cases you have to bring both your social security card and government issued photo identification, such as a drivers license. You can use a passport, but I do not recommend using one if you have something else to use.
Allan Bloomfield practices bankruptcy law in Forest Hills, Queens. Contact Allan today for a free consultation.
